Bag with drawstring closure



Oct. 11, 1960 T. E. PIAZZE BAG WITH DRAWSTRING CLOSURE Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IDZII ENTOR. BY fl 2 2 WM i fmdwz.

Oct. 11, 1960 BAG Original Filed Oct. 28, 1955 T. E. PIAZZE WITH DRAWSTRING CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

United States Patent &5

BAG WITH DRAWSTRING CLOSURE Thomas E. Piazze, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-63) This invention relates to receptacles and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a flexible bag having a drawstring closure and a method of forming the same.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 543,411, filed October 28, 1955, now Patent No. 2,863,- 365, granted December 9, 195 8.

In the packaging of fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables, or the like, bag-like containers have been provided which are generally of loosely Woven fabrics with a drawstring type closure since it is necessary to permit access of air to the packaged produce so that it may breathe and thus retain its life and freshness in flavor. Efforts have been made to provide bag or containers suitable for packaging produce which are formed of plastic films and perforated to provide the necessary ventilation. Such bags have been provided with drawstring closures of the same general character as the fabric bags which they are adapted to replace. However, it has been found diflicult to provide a satisfactory plastic film bag with a drawstring closure which could be formed with suflicient economy to compete with the fabric bags, and, therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a produce bag formed of plastic film and having a drawstring closure which can be fabricated in an economical manner and which has suflicient strength in the closure to insure against tearing of the film material during the packaging operation and subsequent handling.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a flat or square bag formed of plastic film material a drawstring closure wherein the drawstring is encased in a hem formed by inturning the marginal edges of the bag mouth and seaming the same on the inside of the bag wall to provide a smooth of the bag. I

It is another object of the invention to provide a produce flat or square bag formed of plastic'film material and having a drawstring closure wherein the drawstring is enclosed in a marginal portion of the bag material which is folded inwardly and attached to the inner surface of the bag material with the ends of the drawstring extending through an aperture provided in overlapped portions of the film which constitute a longitudinal seam formation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of forming a drawstring closure-in a bag which comprises flattening atubula-r section of ,a flator square bag forming material to bring opposed walls into superimposed relation, providing apertures in the walls adjacent the mouth forming end of the bag, threading a length of string which has its ends tied or otherwise connected to form an endless loop through the apertures, opening the mouth of the bag while it is on the string and folding the marginal portions of the bag material downwardly and inwardly between separated portions of the string and securing the same to the inner surface of the bag walls whereby to enclose the string portions within a hem formation at the mouth of the bag, and thereafter releasexterior surface extending to the top,

Patented Get. 11, 1960 ing one of the ends of the looped string to permit that end to be drawn through the aperture in the one wall of the bag while the other end of the loop projects through the aperture in the opposite wall of the bag and is readily accessible for closing the mouth of the bag.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the bag structure and the method of forming the same which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with portions broken away of a produce bag having incorporated therein the principal features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the top portion of the bag shown in Fig. 1 with the bag walls expanded into an open position ready for insertion of merchandise therein;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation to an enlarged scale, showing the apertured portion of the hem and the portions of the drawstring which project from the aperture;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away of the top margins of the bag showing the perforated side walls;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, to an enlarged scale, showing the perforated top marginal portions of the opposed side walls and a looped drawstring inserted therethrough;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation illustrating the clamping of the ends of the looped drawstring after it is inserted in the apertures in the top of the bag walls;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale, of the bag top and the drawstring taken along the line 77 in Fig. 6; Y

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, side elevation similar to Fig. 6 with the bag mouth expanded and a folding mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 9 is a cross section on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Fig. 8 with the margins of the bag folded into the mouth of the same, and a backing plate for the sealing operation inserted between the two legs of the string; and

Fig. 11 is a cross section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, there is illustrated a produce container or bag 10 which incorporates therein the principal features of the invention. The bag 10 is formed of a single sheet of relatively flexible heat scalable material having overlapping side edges or margins 11 and 12 which are joined by heat scaling to form a seam 13 which extends axially or longitudinally of the bag. A cross seal 14 at one end of the bag 10 provides a bottom closure which extends across the entire width of the bag. The bag 16 which, as shown in Fig. 1, may be collapsed into flattened condition, is provided with infolded or bellows sides as indicated at '15 and 15. .The film material from which the bag 10 is made is preferably a relatively thin, tough, transparent, continuous plastic such as polyethylene, Pliofilm or the like, which may be folded a shown and which is readily heat sealed.

At the upper or top end of the bag section as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mouth of the bag is provided with a drawstring closure which insures a drawstring 16, in the form of an endless loo and a marginal hem formation 17 in which the string 16 is slidably received. The hem formation 17 comprises a marginal portion 18 of the bag material which is folded inwardly against the inner face of the bag wall and seamed or sealed along the line 19 providing a guideway for the drawstring 16. The drawstring 16 has an end portion 20 which is accessible for the closure operation and which extends through an aperture 21 provided in the fold portion of the hem 18 at the longitudinal seam location so that, as shown in Fig. 3, the aperture 21 is located in the 3 overlapped longitudinal seam forming marginal portions 11 and 12 of the material and extends through a double. thickness of the material at the seam 13. An aperture 22 is located in the fold portion of the hem 18 01 posite the aperture 21 which provides access to thedrawstring 16at opps1te sides of the bag top in" the event that it is desired to make two ends of'thelooped'string available for tying-across the top or" the bag or container after it is closed or for any other reason. 1

In Figs.'4:to 11, the preferred method of forming the drawstring closure in the mouth of the'bag isillus trated. As shown in Fig. 4, the top marginal portions of the opposite walls 23 and 24 of the flattened" tubular section which is adapted to form the bag 10 are in-collapsed and superimposed relation-for simultaneously,

After the looped string 16 is threaded through the aperof construction may be resorted to within the scope of 10 While the 'bag illustrated in the drawings is formed from a single sheet of material, it may be of tubular form and the material may be duplexed or multi-ply. Also, the bag may be flat or square and formed with or without bellows folds as desired.

While specific materials andp 'cular details of construction arereferred to in describing theillustrated form of the applicants bag, other materials and other details the invention.

I claim! 1. A container formed of a relatively thin, continuous, plastic sheet material having a body portion of tubu- 'lar form with a longitudinal seam comprising overlapped tures 21 and 22 in the'walls' 23 and 24 of ,thecollapsed bag 10, the closed knotted end'27 and the loop end 27' V V of the drawstring are positioned in holding or clamping members 28 and 28'-which are spread apart suificiently thereafter to draw the two legs 26 and.26 of the string 16 relatively taut as shown in 'Fig. 7. The side walls 23and 24 of the bag top are then spread apart on the legs 26, 26' of the string 16 until the opened up end walls or bellows folds 15 and 15" are brought into opposed relation, as shown in Fig. 8,'beneath' a pair of oppositely disposed pivoted tucking fingers 29, 29 which are mount- 'ed' for rotation about the axes 30, 30. The marginal portions 18 of the bag walls extend upwardly between the tucking fingers 29, 29 and permit the latter to be rotated inwardly and downwardly of the body of the bag to reversely'fold or tuck the film material in the margins 18 down inside of the bag and over or between the spread apart or;spaced legs'26, 26' of the'drawstring 16' whichfunctions as aformer for the folding, While the marginal portions 18 are held in the inwardly and downwardly'folded condition a seaming or'sealing operation is performed to secure the sameto the adjacent inside wall of the bag; To providean anvil" for the sealing irons aplate-like form or backing member 31"is inserted into the mouth of the bag between the'legs 26, 26 of the drawstring 16 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. With the plate 31- positioned within the mouth of the i bag, a pair ofoppositely d sposed movably' mounted sealing irons 32, 32" are moved intoengagement with the outersurface of the bag material to form the seam and adhered margins of the sheet material and a drawstring closure at one end of said container which comprises a length of string and a hem in which the string is received, said hem comprising an infolded end margin of said tubular-body having its end edges sealed to the adjacent body portions on the inside of the container, said hem forming infolded' end margin having an aperture which'extends through'the overlapped longitudinal seam forming marginal'portions of said sheet material ;and;said string havinga portion thereof threadedthrough said aperture.

2, A bag formed of a sheet of relatively thin, plastic film material and having a body portion of tubular form with a longitudinal seam which comprises overlapped and adhered margins of the film material, said margins being of substantial width and forming a double thickness in the seam area, a transverse bottom closure seam at one'end of the bag, and a drawstring closure at the other end thereof which comprises a drawstring and a 'hem formation providing a peripheral enclosure for receiving a looped portion ofthe drawstring, said hem formation having an aperture providing an entrance to said enclosure which aperture is located in theflongitudinal seam' area and extends through the double thickness-portions of the film material in the seam area.

3. A container formed of a relatively thin, continuous plastic sheet material having a body portion of tubular form with a longitudinal center seam comprising overlapped and adhered'margins of the sheet material, and a drawstringclosure'at one end of saidrcontainer, which drawstring closure comprises a length of string partially enclosed in a hem formation which hem formation includes marginal portions of the container material at said one end of the container which are folded inwardly of the end of the tubular body and sealed to the adjacent or seal 19; Thereafter the anvil plate 31 and the fingers 29, 29' are separated or withdrawn from the mama of the bag and 'the string holding members 28, '28 are moved towards each other a suflicient distance to release the ends of the looped string '16 and permit the tknotted end 27' to bepulled sufficient to draw the looped end 27 of the string through the aperture 22 and into positionfor closing the bag" or for permitting it to be refolded into the flattened condition shown in Fig. 1 fordelivery'to thenserst body portions on the inside of the container so as to form a continuous and uninterrupted marginal hem along said one end of the container, said hem, formation having a circular aperture through which portions of the string are threaded which aperture extends through the portions of the 'hem formation which lie within the overlapped margins forming the longitudinal seam only, said aperture being located in the uppermost area of the hem and centrally of the face of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

